Southern California -- this just in

Woman's body, found burned and nude in 1995, finally identified

October 5, 2012 | 7:09
am

In 1995, the burned body of a woman was found nude in a sleeping bag that had been set
ablaze in Covina. She was burned beyond recognition,
officials said.

On Thursday, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detectives announced that they had used DNA evidence to identify the remains as those of a 20-year-old Morro Bay woman. They are now asking for the public's help in finding her killer.

The body of Gail Catherine Allen, known for years as Jane Doe No. 59,
was found Oct. 28, 1995, in the 21000 block of Covina Hills Road in an
unincorporated area of Covina, the sheriff’s department said in a statement.

Days before the body was found, a friend of Allen's reported her missing, the statement said.

Early this year, Morro Bay detectives received DNA samples from
Allen’s father, Marcus Allen of Victorville, and her mother, Deborah
Forester of Colorado. After the samples were linked to Jane Doe No. 59,
the case was reopened as a murder case.

Gail Catherine Allen was believed to have worked at a Taco Bell restaurant in Morro Bay. Detectives hope to speak with people
who worked with her, officials said.